That Thing You Love
by clicketykeys
Summary: Returning from a job, Corso brings back something special for Vacy. Backstory for his KOTFE letter, but spoiler-free.


_"Corso?!"_ The cry resonated through the metal frame of the XS freighter even before the airlock had closed.

The tired mercenary chuckled as he heard the clunk of rapid footfalls, and when Vacy came running around the curve of the main corridor, he stepped forward and swept her into his arms. "Ah, darlin'," he whispered, cradling her close. "I'm sorry I was gone so long."

"Missed you," she mumbled against the curve of his neck, adding a little nibble.

He shivered. "I, ah... I can tell." He tilted his chin up. Her nuzzles sent a tingle down his spine that made it difficult to remember the important thing he needed to say to her, but at the moment, he didn't care. "Missed you too." And the odd thing was that while he'd felt the loss of her every moment he was gone, he hadn't realized the depth of that emptiness until he'd had her in his arms again.

She rested her head on his shoulder with a little sigh. "Missed you _more_ ," she returned.

"Nuh-uh," he retorted, touching a soft kiss to her temple. "You've had Risha and Bowie and Guss for company. I've been allllll alone."

Vacy shook her head, the tip of her nose brushing softly back and forth against his neck. "Nopers. They're all out on jobs too."

Realization shot through him, and he lifted his head, arching a brow at her. "So... y'mean... we've got the ship to ourselves?"

She grinned, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yup!"

His breath caught in his throat, and his arms tightened around her. He could feel warmth spreading across his face and all the way out to the tips of his ears as he thought about the reason for that grin. Letting that breath out in a strangled groan, he tilted her chin up and slanted his mouth against hers in a deep, hungry kiss.

He'd lost track of how long he'd been holding her by the time she pulled her head back and wrinkled her nose at him. "You know... we have the _whole ship_ , not just like this one spot. Like the cabin. Y'know, the cabin _with a bed_?" Grinning, she knocked against his armor. "And this kinda gets in the way of snuggles," she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

He swallowed, thickly, then set her down. "Well... do you know what day today happens to be?"

She blinked at him. "Um. Centaxday? I think?"

Corso smiled, shaking his head, and reached into one of the small compartments in his belt, taking out a small vial. "Nope. It's officially one Standard year from the day you got the _Wonder_ back. I thought while I was out on a job I might... pick up something special for ya. Y'know, nothing big, just somethin' kinda nice, to kinda commemorate th' occasion." He knew he was babbling but couldn't seem to stop himself.

Peering at him almost suspiciously, she took the vial from his hand. "So this is what kept you away so long?" She frowned as she looked at it.

"Yeah, had to go all the way in to Coruscant for it. Ain't many places that carry it. They get it direct from Naboo, and the store won't ship it, count of it don't have a long shelf life and if it goes bad while it's sittin' there in somebody else's shop then it makes their shop look bad an' of course they don't want that..." Stars, he was doing it again. He shut his mouth and pressed his lips together, willing himself to shut the hell up, hoping she'd like it, wishing the nervous knot in his stomach would untangle.

"But ... what IS it?" She looked from it up to him, brows pulled together curiously.

Okay, now he was going to have to talk again. He took a shaky breath. "It's a lotion. S'posta be all silky and nice-smellin'. Lots of folks have said it's the best thing out there. Sounded like a right proper gift for a lady."

She wrinkled her nose at him again. "I keep tellin' ya, Cor - I ain't a lady."

He flipped the latches on his gauntlets and tucked them under one arm, then gently untied the laces on Vacy's snug leather gloves and carefully pulled them off. "You'll always be a lady to me, Captain," he replied softly. He took the vial back from her, unscrewed its lid, and poured a tiny amount of the lotion out into his hand.

Then he reached out and took one of her hands in both of his, spreading the lotion over her skin before slowly rubbing up and down each finger, along the back of her hand, around her wrist, and back and forth in slow circles on her palm. "Seems like you've got this idea that you don't deserve nice things, or that you can't expect folks to treat you respectful. And that just ain't right."

He took her other hand in his and began to massage it as well, feeling the way her skin softened as it absorbed the lotion. "Bein' a lady means you deserve respect not just for everythin' you're able to accomplish, but just for bein' you. You're important and special regardless of how rich an' famous you are - or ain't." He lifted her hand to his lips and touched a tender kiss to her knuckles. He could hear the longing in his own voice There was more he wanted to say, that he'd held back for so long, but he knew she still wasn't ready. "You matter. Always."

She was silent for a long moment, looking up at him with large, dark eyes. "Cabin," she whispered breathlessly. "Now."

It was some time later, as they were catching their breath, that she told him that the lotion was a lovely present, but when it ran low, he'd darn well better take her with him to Naboo. Then he wouldn't have to be away so long.

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I think I like when you miss me," he teased.

She grinned devilishly. "But don't you like when you're with me even more?"

Corso laughed again, and grinned back at her. "You got it."


End file.
